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The present work examined the changes in testicular activities in relation to testicular oxidative stress in cyclophosphamide as well as human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) co-treated cyclophosphamide treated Wistar strain rats. Testicular activities were evaluated by the quantification of spermatogenesis and by the measurement of steroidogenic key enzyme activities along with plasma levels of testosterone. Testicular oxidative stress in relation to cyclophosphamide treatment was monitored by the study of products of free radicals like conjugated dienes and malondialdehyde (MDA) as well as the activity of testicular antioxidant enzymes like peroxidase and catalase. Cyclophosphamide treatment at the dose of 5 mg/kg body weight/day for 28 days resulted a significant diminution in the activities of testicular delta 5, 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (delta 5, 3 beta-HSD), 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17 beta-HSD) activities, plasma level of testosterone along with significant reduction in the number of germ cells at stage-VII of spermatogenesis. Levels of testicular MDA and conjugated dienes both were elevated whereas testicular peroxidase and catalase activities both were inhibited significantly in cyclophosphamide treated rats in comparison to control. After hCG co-administration at the dose of 5 I.U./kg body weight/day for 28 days in cyclophosphamide treated rats resulted a significant protection in the activities of testicular peroxidase and catalase along with significant decrease in the levels of MDA and conjugated dienes to the control level. Moreover, the testicular steroidogenic key enzyme activities and spermatogenesis along with plasma levels of testosterone were restored to the control level. Therefore, it may be concluded that there is a correlation between testicular steroidogenic activities as well as spermatogenesis and testicular oxidative stress in cyclophosphamide treated rats. Moreover, as restoration of plasma testosterone to the control level is noted in hCG co-treated cyclophosphamide treated rat, therefore, the results suggest that testosterone may be the key regulator for this correlation.

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Hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia are two important characters of diabetes mellitus, an endocrine disorder based disease. In modern medicine, no satisfactory effective therapy is still available to cure diabetes mellitus.1) Though pharmaceutic drugs like sulfonylureas and biguanides are used for the treatment of diabetes but these are either too expensive or have undesirable side effects or contraindications. 2,3)Insulin therapy affords effective glycemic control, yet its demerits are ineffectiveness through an oral administration, short half life, requirement of constant refrigeration of the drug and in the event of excess dosage results fatal hypoglycemia that limits its uses.From various reasons, in recent years, traditional and complementary medicine have been an upsurge in its popularity for the treatment of different diseases as herbal drugs are generally out of toxic effect. 4,5) Though isolated studies screened several plants having folk medicine reputation for antidiabetic potency 6,7) but there was no scientific publication about the seed of Tamarindus indica (T. indica) except our publication 8) where we focused the antidiabetic effect of this seed extract in type-I diabetes or insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). There is no report of this seed extract on different types of diabetes mellitus like type-I or IDDM or severe diabetic (SD) where functional b cells are not present or are present in very few in number and type II or non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or mild diabetic (MD) where functional b cells are present in a remarkable number. Moreover, no work has been done about the antihyperlipidemic effect of the seed extract of T. indica in diabetic state.T. indica LINN is used as traditional medicine for the management of diabetes mellitus.9) This plant is tree type, dicotyledonous, found all over India and belonging to Caesalpiniaceae family.The present aim of this work is to explore the scientific basis of the utility of this aqueous seed extract of T. indica for correction of hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in diabetes. Moreover, mode of action of this extract for its antidiabetic activity is another part of searching that has been performed here by conducting intravenous glucose tolerance test (GTT), serum insulin assay and by measurement of carbohydrate metabolic enzyme activity that collectively focus the pancreatic and extra pancreatic activity of this extract. 10) Fresh seeds of T. indica were dried in an incubator for 2 d at 40°C, crushed in an electrical grinder and then powdered. Out of this powder, 100 g was suspended in 500 ml redistilled water and then extracted for 18 h in a soxhlet apparatus. A deep brown aqueous extract was obtained which was filtered by coarse sieve filter paper. The filtrate was dried at reduced pressure and finally lyophilized. It was stored at (0-4)°C until used. When needed, the residual extract was suspended in distilled water and used in the study. MATERIAL AND METHODS Plant Material Selection of Animals and Animal CareThe study was con...

The present study was undertaken to find out the adverse effects of cyclophosphamide on testicular activities along with testicular oxidative stress at its therapeutic dose and the protective effects of alpha-tocopherol succinate on testicular dysfunctions induced by cyclophosphamide in mature albino rats. A significant diminution in the activities of testicular delta 5, 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) and 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) along with significant reduction in the plasma level of testosterone and number of spermatogonia-A (ASg), preleptotene spermatocytes (pLSc), midpachytene spermatocytes (mPSc) and step 7 spermatids (7Sd) at stage VII of spermatogenic cycle were observed following cyclophosphamide treatment. Oxidative stress was also noted in testis, which was enlightened by significant elevation in the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and conjugated dienes along with significant reduction in the activities of testicular peroxidase and catalase. Co-administration of alpha-tocopherol succinate in cyclophosphamide-treated rats resulted a significant restoration of all the above-mentioned parameters to the control level. The results of our experiment suggest that cyclophosphamide treatment at its clinical dose is associated with antigonadal activities as well as induction of oxidative stress in gonad that can be ameliorated significantly by alpha-tocopherol succinate co-administration. So, our data have some potential clinical implications.